Ready, without the drama.

Plain, sourced guides to generators, power, water, food and the gear that gets a household through outages and storms. We tell you what matters, who it fits, and how to use it safely.

Browse by topic

• Generators

  Portable, inverter, dual fuel and standby generators, plus the cords and switches to use them safely.

• Power and batteries

  Power stations, solar panels, solar generators and batteries for outages and off grid use.

• Food preserving

  Freeze dryers, canners, dehydrators, grain mills and vacuum sealers for a deeper pantry.

• Water

  Storage tanks, barrels, rain catchment and filters for safe water when the tap stops.

• Heat and cooking

  Wood stoves, propane and kerosene heaters, camp stoves and fuel storage, used safely.

• Emergency food

  Freeze dried meals, MREs and storage supplies, and how much to keep.

• Radios and comms

  Emergency radios, ham, GMRS and satellite messengers for when cell service fails.

• First aid and protection

  First aid kits, trauma gear and masks, with what the health sources say.

• Tools and gear

  Knives, multitools, axes, fire starters, compasses and night vision.

Start here

• Portable Power Station Guide for Outages: Wh, Watts, Run Time

  Choose a portable power station for outages: capacity in Wh, output watts, LiFePO4 cycle life, solar charging, UPS switchover and run time math.

• Berkey Water Filter Alternatives: Gravity Filters Compared

  Why Black Berkey elements became hard to find, and how to choose a gravity water filter instead: pore size, what it removes, capacity and certifications.

• MRE Meals: Contents, Date Codes, Storage and Heater Limits

  Choose MRE meals by complete contents, calories, actual lot dates and storage history. Compare civilian examples and check heater and food-safety limits.

• Gas Mask Buying Guide: Approvals, Filters and Real Limits

  How to choose a gas mask for emergencies: NIOSH and CBRN approvals, CE EN 136, cartridges vs 40 mm filters, fit, shelf life, and what a mask cannot do.

• Generator for Your House: How to Size It and Run It Safely

  How to pick a generator for your house: add up running and starting watts, choose fuel, connect it safely, and keep carbon monoxide out of your home.

• Solar Batteries for Backup Power: LiFePO4 Basics and Sizing

  How solar batteries work for backup power: amp-hours vs watt-hours, LiFePO4 cycle life, cold-charging limits, building a bank, and what to pair them with.

• Solar Generator: What You Get, Recharge Time and Limits

  What a solar generator is, how long panels take to recharge it, why panels rarely hit rated watts, and when it fits an outage power plan.

• Solar Inverter Guide: Types, Off-Grid Use and Outage Backup

  What a solar inverter does: string, microinverter and off-grid systems, why some shut off in outages, and how idle draw uses stored battery energy.

• Battery Maintainer: Keep Generator and Vehicle Batteries Ready

  How a battery maintainer keeps generator, car and backup batteries charged in storage: float mode, sizing by amp-hours and lithium settings.

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